Aztec Green Bean Salad (Reed)
Cook some green beans and slice into about 1-in. lengths. Combine with some avocados, cut into 1-in. arcs, chopped tomatoes, chopped onion, and minced chiles (Serranos and/or Jalapenos) to taste -- I prefer plenty of chiles, and they lose some kick so add more to compensate. Throw in a bunch of chopped cilantro -- more than you think.
Mix with a vinagrette of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lime juice (approximate ratios: 5:2:1). Note that oil and vinegar are Hispanic additions.
Lebanese Green Beans with Lamb (Russinoff)
I use lamb shoulder chops for this, so that I can use the bones to make a stock for braising the beans. Starting with about 1 1/2 lb. of chops, remove the meat from bones and chop (do not grind) the meat . Cover the bones in a small pot with 2 cups water, add a bouquet garni, and reduce slowly to 1 cup of stock.Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a sauté pan, add a large onion, chopped, and the chopped meat, and cook over medium heat. Trim 1 lb. green beans and add to the pan with the reserved stock, along with 1 tbsp. salt, 1 tbsp. ground black pepper, and 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon. Cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more water as necessary.
Salade Niçoise (Russinoff)
This is one of those classic recipes that call for canned tuna, all of which are improved immeasurably by using grilled fresh tuna instead.
Make a vinagrette with good olive oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Coat a 1-lb. tuna steak, sear over charcoal, and slice thin.
Trim and steam 1 lb. green beans; boil and slice 1/2 lb. small new potatoes; slice 1/2 lb. small roma tomatoes; mince a bunch of scallions and a bunch of basil. Some oregano couldn't hurt. Toss the vegetables, herbs, and tuna with the vinagrette and arrange on a platter.
Cover with 1/2 cup nicoise olives, 1/4 cup capers, and as many anchovy filets as your wife will allow. Line the platter with quartered hard-boiled eggs.
Braised Green Beans (Bevier)
I remember eating something close to this many times at The Parthenon on Halsted Street in Chicago. The essential ingredients are a large onion, 3 or 4 roma tomatoes, as much garlic as you like, 1 lb. of green beans, tomato paste, olive oil, and some seasonings.Slice the onion and garlic. Peel, seed, and chop the tomatoes. Trim the stems off the green beans.
Boil a pot of salted water. Cook the green beans until barely tender.
Sauté the onions in some olive oil. Once the onions have browned, deglaze the bottom of the pan with a little white wine if any crust has formed. Throw in the tomatoes, 1 tbsp tomato paste, and most of the garlic. Season with salt and pepper. A hint of cinnamon doesn't hurt. Cook this mixture down until the tomatoes have softened.
Add the green beans to the tomato mixture. Add enough liquid to allow the beans to finish cooking. Use water, chicken broth or white wine. Maybe some of each.
Now's the time to add more garlic if you want. Perhaps a splash of balsamic vinegar. Maybe some chopped parsley. A little more olive oil? Cook until the beans are soft and the tomatoes are not watery.
No doubt The Parthenon's beans sat around for a while before they showed up on my plate. I remember them as being well-done and oily. If this appeals to you, go for it. Cook the hell out of the beans. Add as much olive oil as you can stand.